Dons salvage 7th at Hawaii tournament

USF 67, EAST TENN. STATE 49

Updated 11:39 pm, Tuesday, December 25, 2012

USF's Cole Dickerson (right) who had 19 points and nine rebounds, is fouled by Lester Wilson.

USF's Cole Dickerson (right) who had 19 points and nine rebounds, is fouled by Lester Wilson.

Photo: Eugene Tanner, Associated Press

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San Francisco forward Matt Christiansen (3) battles East Tennessee State guard Rashawn Rembert (4) for a rebound in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Diamond Head Classic, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner) less

San Francisco forward Matt Christiansen (3) battles East Tennessee State guard Rashawn Rembert (4) for a rebound in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Diamond Head Classic, Tuesday, Dec. ... more

Photo: Eugene Tanner, Associated Press

Dons salvage 7th at Hawaii tournament

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Honolulu --

Cole Dickerson took care of the scoring in the first half and Cody Doolin did likewise in the second as USF knocked off East Tennessee State 67-49 in the seventh-place game of the Diamond Head Classic on Tuesday.

Dickerson scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the first half. Doolin scored all 15 of his points after halftime as the Dons (6-6) snapped a losing streak at five games.

The Dons fell to then-No. 18 San Diego State and Mississippi in their first two games of the tournament.

"We got better in these three games," USF coach Rex Walters said. "We know we aren't going to face the likes of San Diego State and Ole Miss in our conference each night, with the exception of the top 2-3 teams.

"No one is as big and physical as Ole Miss, and San Diego State has tremendous speed."

On Tuesday, Dickerson had a game-high nine rebounds. The Dons owned a 38-21 edge on the glass.

"It was good for us to put together a solid 40 minutes of basketball today," Walters said. "We were committed to making the right play, getting down defensively and keeping them off the glass."

The Buccaneers (2-10) went 4-for-12 from the foul line.

USF got six assists from De'End Parker in a game that began at 9 a.m. Hawaii time.

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